Steve Chapman stepping down after 16 years as Head Coach of Men’s Basketball

(SACKVILLE, NB) After 16 years as head coach of Mount Allison's varsity men's basketball team, Steve Chapman is stepping down at the end of the year. Chapman assumed the role in 1992-2000 and again from 2017-2024.

"A career of coaching and teaching has provided a fabulous opportunity to meet so many great people from so many different walks of life," says Chapman. "I am forever grateful to have shared and experienced lifelong lessons and special moments with many teaching colleagues, student-athletes, parents, officials and fellow coaches."

Chapman attended Mount Allison from 1978-82 where he starred on the men's basketball team and captain the team in his senior year. He would meet his wife Carol while at Mount Allison and this meeting would be a catalyst for the Chapman family as they would go on to give so much of their time, energy and commitment to the betterment of the institution.

Chapman coached men's basketball at Tantramar High School in Sackville, NB from 1985-1992 before eventually coaching at Bernice McNaughton High School in Moncton, NB from 2003-2015. Alongside an impressive 32-year career in the Anglophone East school district as a teacher, Chapman would go on to coach over a 500 high school games in his career. Some highlights include: 14 Regional Finals, six NBIAA Provincial Championship games, and back-to-back NBIAA Provincial Championships in 2007 and 2008.

Director of Athletics and Recreation Jacques Bellefleur says Chapman's contributions to both the men's basketball program and overall Athletics department were significant.

"For almost two decades Steve has been the engine of our men's basketball program," says Bellefleur. "The number of student-athletes he has impacted during his time here is significant and the respect he garnered from other coaches and programs speaks volumes to the level of dedication he gave to coaching."

Steve dedicated two significant coaching stints to the Mounties men's basketball program, notably between 1992-2000 and again from 2017-2024. During this time, the program was most successful in the last eight years with three ACAA second-place finishes before the programs first ACAA Championship title in 2020. Chapman would go on to win the ACAA Coach of the Year in 2020. At the national level, the program qualified three times for the CCAA Men's Basketball National Championships in 2017, 2020 and most notably this past year as the hosts where they played in a national semi-final losing only by four to George Brown College.

"Whenever you have the chance to build relationships, positively influence the lives of young men and women, or simply impact the decision-making or future career paths of young people you teach and coach, that is fulfilling," says Chapman. "I am so blessed to have coached this great sport, and I am so thankful to so many."

A search for a new head coach is underway and the department is hopeful to begin the interview process soon. Chapman will continue to have an affiliation with the Mounties men's basketball program as a consultant and assist with things such as recruitment. In the meantime, all questions on recruitment can be directed to Chapman.